undercurrents
by AGENT KELL
Summary: like a storm, he swept her off her feet.  sasusaku
1. desperate

**Title:** undercurrents  
><strong>Summary:<strong> like a storm, he swept her off her feet.  
><strong>Pairing: <strong>SasuSaku**  
>Theme:<strong> AU  
><strong>Prompt:<strong> [sasusaku_month] "What are you so desperate for?"  
><strong>Comments:<strong> For sasusaku_month. I wrote something similar to this in fracturedtales, but I wanted to continue the idea, so I guess this would be part 1 out of 7. Heheh. Also, please review!

* * *

><p>It was pitch black.<p>

In the distance, Sakura could see the flickering lights of the lanterns and hear the sound of heavy footsteps. Her heart started to pound—their pursuers were getting closer, and she was running out of energy. She could only drag Naruto so far.

The metallic smell of iron clogged up her nose and travelled into her lungs. Sakura's knee-jerk reaction was to puke, but it was Naruto's blood and he was bleeding—_dying,_ _dying, _dying.

She could feel his blood caking under her nails, on her hands, her skin. She needed to save him. Fear spiked up within her, _theyhadtogotheyneededtoflee,_ and she pulled his unconscious body towards her side and dragged his arm over her shoulder.

In the dark, she trudged forwards the harbor. _Please,_ she prayed, _please be there, Sasuke._

_xxx_

Under the glow of dimmed lamps, a crowd of men was loading large barrels of food supply and ammunition onto a large vessel. They worked silently and seamlessly, almost hurriedly. Aboard the ship, Sasuke eyed the surroundings, his eyes narrowing impatiently at the sight of flickering light in the midst of the thick forest.

From the canopy of trees, Suigetsu pushed a small figure forward roughly and stepped out into the clearing. Sakura tripped over the combined weight of Naruto slung over her and fell, Naruto toppling heavily over her. She hissed angrily, glaring sharply at the silver haired man as she struggled to sit upright.

"Sorry," he grinned cheekily, revealing a full set of pointed teeth.

It was only upon a closer observation of the vessel that Sakura began to feel anxious. Under the sparse moonlight, the whole ship was black, complete with black sails. The thought of meeting him again of all people sent her heart jerking painfully. For the past six years, the same recurring vision of his back had haunted her in her sleep. _He never looked back._

"Oi Sasuke! She's probably the reason why so many guards are around today."

A redhead stepped out to look, squinting down and frowning at the fallen pair on the floor.

"Get rid of them already then, dumbass!"

"But I like her better than you!"

At the commotion, a number of crew members paused in their work, curiously sneaking a glance over.

Sasuke quickly intervened, "Keep quiet already." Turning to Juugo, he ordered, "Go and bring those two over here."

_xxx_

As Sakura stared into familiar dark eyes, she wondered if she were in the fringes between reality and a dream – was he real? – She had dreamt of him before, and it was always adream_dreamdream, _she was alwaysdreaming_dreamingdreaming_, and he _always walked away_.

They were eyes she never thought she would see again.

A thick veil of silence washed across the two of them as Sasuke observed her, gaze darkening at her clammy skin and the pooling crimson blood on the floor.

"Juugo, get her to Ino immediately."

As the orange-haired man he called came forth to collect her, Sakura's mind cleared and she started to panic.

Falling to her knees, she pleaded, "I'm fine. _Please _Sasuke, save Naruto."

Growing furious, Sasuke stiffened. Dark eyes spun red as he directed his gaze back to viridian ones. As his gaze remained steely, her lips trembled.

"What are you so desperate for?"

_xxx_


	2. manipulate

**Title:** undercurrents  
><strong>Summary:<strong> like a storm, he swept her off her feet.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I don't own Naruto.  
><strong>Warning(s):<strong> Not beta-ed, and I don't really have much of an idea how this is playing out.  
><strong>Comments:<strong> For sasusaku_month. Week 1 Day 2 - Manipulate. Part 2 out of 7… or so. I'm still undecided. I'm having so much trouble with this it's driving me crazy. Ugh. Please review and tell me what you think of it so far!

xxx

For someone who had been shaking nervously moments before, her fingers were remarkably nimble and worked quickly. Sakura was experienced in treating injuries, Sasuke concluded as he observed closely from a distance, contemplating what her motives were. He was mildly impressed—Sakura had always dreamed of becoming a doctor, and she was surely on her way to achieving her goal, if she was not already qualified.

At least, that was what he had expected of her in the years he had not seen her. A muscle tightened in his jaw. What had exactly happened for her to be pursued by soldiers in the middle of the night? As he deemed her work complete; for the blond man was pale but he was breathing, he stormed towards her.

"You've always hated pirates—we steal, we kill, we destroy life. That night, my brother killed your family, your friends and left our hometownin flames." Sasuke chuckled darkly, contempt etched across his face as he looked in the heavily bandaged Naruto's direction. "Yet here you are, seeking refuge aboard a pirate ship."

Under his piercing stare, he watched as tears gathered at the back of her eyes. Her bottom lip trembled as she shook at his painful reminder. She reached for his arm with shaky hands.

"I've never hated you, Sasuke-kun."

At her reply, he recoiled from her touch so quickly as if she had burned him and fell silent. A part of him felt guilty—he always hated to see her tears—yet another cold and jaded part of him refused to buy it. It was simply impossible for her to be so detached. She was trying to manipulate him. He regarded her angrily—the wheels in his eyes spinning madly. His next words were as cold as ice.

"I'm not the same person anymore, Sakura. _Tell me,_ what are you planning?"

Desperately trying to hold back her tears, viridian eyes darkened and glared at him, feeling hurt. He didn't believe her. He didn'ttrust _her_ even though they had grown up together. Even if they were brothers, Itachi simply wasn't Sasuke. Even till now, Sasuke didn't see that. She felt_ wronged_ and Sasuke was just _so_ pig-headed!

Indignantly, she spat, "Naruto is the lost Prince. I want to make him King."

If he wanted to act this way, so would she.

xxx


	3. change

**Title:** undercurrents  
><strong>Summary:<strong> like a storm, he swept her off her feet.  
><strong>Warning(s):<strong> Not beta-ed either.  
><strong>Comments:<strong> For sasusaku_month. Part 3! I'm so sorry this is getting shorter, but it's getting harder to write. Ugh. It's tough having writers' block, and this is getting pretty intense! Please review!

_xxx_

Naruto was still unconscious. In a corner, Sakura was in a deep sleep, propped against the cabin wall. The following day they had boarded the ship Naruto had fallen into a feverish state and Sakura had spent hours by his side, working herself till exhaustion.

Wisps of pink hair obscured her face, but Sasuke could still spot the thin line of dried blood above her eyebrow. There were several cuts on her skin—scabbed and bruising. She had wrapped her arms around her torso and looked uncomfortable. He scowled, recalling their previous conversation.

_xxx_

"_He has the necklace of the Kyuubi." She continued, green eyes narrowing at him. "Naruto would make a great leader. He is destined for great things."_

_She fell silent then. Turning her back against him, it was moments later that she spoke softly, "Sometimes, Naruto reminded me of you."_

_A heartbeat later, she continued, "I couldn't just let him die."_

_xxx_

For someone who was constantly worried about other people, Sakura never took care of herself. She was _still_ hopeless, he concluded, somewhat frustrated with her. He had been afraid, Sasuke acknowledged. His blood had turned to ice when he saw her covered in blood—so pale, so lifeless. It had contrasted so greatly what Sakura was meant to be—lively, bright and all smiles.

Sasuke hated Sakura. He hated that she cared about him. He hated that a small part of him was decidedly protective of her.

Making his decision, Sasuke approached the petite girl. He lifted her easily and exited the room in large, fast strides.

_xxx_


	4. burning

**Title:** undercurrents  
><strong>Summary:<strong> like a storm, he swept her off her feet  
><strong>Pairing: <strong>Sasuke/Sakura  
><strong>Prompt:<strong> Burning/Ignite  
><strong>Warning(s):<strong> Not beta-ed either.  
><strong>Comments:<strong> For sasusaku_month. Here's Part 4. I love Itachi to bits, and I really didn't want to write about him since Sasuke is always hell bent on killing him, which is just aksjhdkajshd; and so HEARTBREAKING.

_So_ not late by the way, I've just had an exam. Another part's on its way soon! Please review!

_x_

"—Leave… le-leave… Sasuke-kun alone—"

Her chest heaved with every heavy breath. Sakura tossed in her sleep, her facial features scrunched together. Harsh lines swept across her forehead as she frowned heavily, and her hands swung around wildly.

Sasuke observed her curiously at the mention of his name. She was having a nightmare of sorts—his eyes darkened—one that included him. There was one incident he could easily recall that would have haunted her. It haunted his dreams as well.

"—not his fault…—" Sakura murmured, twisting her body around again.

His hand clenched into a tight fist.

Six years ago, their hometown had been burned to ashes by his brother. His entire clan had been wiped out, leaving only Sasuke behind. His brother had deemed him unworthy enough to kill, and had laughed it off. In the midst of the fighting, Itachi had taken down much of the village and many had lost their lives. The remaining survivors were devastated and they had scorned him.

_Murderer_, they screamed at him with accusing eyes.

Even now, their looks haunted him. They had been people he was acquainted with, people he had talked to before, people whom, just the day before had wished him pleasantly, "Good morning, Sasuke-chan." Their eyes were haunting, accusing, and_ hateful_. Within them, they saw him as the monster that had killed their family and burned down their land.

"—…innocent—"

A small, pale hand made its way to his, her thin fingers brushing over the top of his knuckles. Her touch was feather light, and it had soothed him unknowingly. His gaze softened as he looked at the pink haired female. Sakura, too, had lost her family due to his brother.

A thought struck him as he retrieved his hand from under hers—one he had always known. He looked away from her, fearful. Perhaps the one thing Sasuke had feared the most was Sakura looking at him with the same eyes.

_x_


	5. umbrella

**Title:** undercurrents  
><strong>Summary:<strong> like a storm, he swept her off her feet.  
><strong>Pairing:<strong> Sasuke/Sakura  
><strong>Prompt<strong>: Umbrella  
><strong>Warning(s):<strong> Not beta-ed either.  
><strong>Comments:<strong> For sasusaku_month even though it's crazy late. It took awhile to get the right feeling. Here's Part 5! Please review :)

_x_

_Pitter patter._

Rain fell down in large heavy droplets, cold and ruthless and never ending. Slim fingers curled tightly around the wooden handle of an umbrella as Sakura watched anxiously over two sparring men.

Under the heavy downpour, Sasuke looked regal. Dark strands fell to his face, and the usually spiked hair at the back fell flat. He was undeterred by the rain, swift and skilled.

Naruto rushed towards him, and their swords clashed brutally, metal against metal. Fear spiked through Sakura, a blood curling scream threatening to leave her mouth. Sasuke had easily disarmed Naruto with a flick of his wrist, and had his sword positioned at Naruto's neck.

His words were like ice, mocking and cold. "You're _weak_."

Sneering as he withdrew and sheathed his blade, he turned to glance at the pastel haired girl. Sakura was glaring at him, angry tears running down her face. "You could have hurt him!" She had long ago flung her umbrella to the side, and she was steadily getting drenched.

Face devoid of expression and his eyes dark, Sasuke walked away.

"You'll need to get stronger before even dreaming of becoming King."

_x_

"That hurts, Sakura-chan!" Naruto flinched, feeling the sting of the antiseptic.

They were in the infirmary, where Naruto had been staying in since he boarded the ship. Sakura rolled a strip of bandages around his torso, where his previous wound had reopened.

Exasperated, Sakura hit him. "You _idiot_! You aren't immortal! Your body hasn't healed and yet you went to challenge Sasuke." She paused, tears brimming in her eyes. The thought of seeing Naruto so pale and lifeless once was more than enough. She could still feel Naruto's blood all around her, on her clothes, her skin, under her nails.

It scared her.

"He could have _killed_ you!"

Naruto fell silent, staring intently at the viridian eyed girl, observing her expression. He said his next words carefully.

"He wouldn't have killed me if he had bothered to save us in the first place. More importantly, you trust him, don't you Sakura-chan?"

Sakura froze, her heart clenching painfully. She – just like all her fellow villagers all those years back – had just doubted Sasuke. She was such an idiot, doing the very thing she had wanted to protect him from.


	6. hellogoodbye

**Title**: undercurrents  
><strong>Summary<strong>: like a storm, he swept her off her feet.  
><strong>Pairing<strong>: Sasuke/Sakura  
><strong>Prompt<strong>: Hello/Goodbye  
><strong>Warning(s):<strong> Not beta-ed either.  
><strong>Comments<strong>: My muse hit me after a year or so?

_x_

_Their pursuers were getting nearer. Hidden behind a thick bush, Sakura could feel them approaching with each footstep. Dead leaves and small branches crunched beneath their combat boots, each sound closer and closer to their location. Her fear was palpable – surely they could sense her. Her fingers shook, and her toes tingled with fear. She wouldn't be able to outrun them this time. They were too tired, too outnumbered._

_Beside her, Naruto held her hand firmly. As she turned to him, she started to gain strength. Naruto stared ahead, cerulean eyes deadly focused at the figures beyond the thick canopy of leaves that sheltered them. They had gotten this far, hadn't they? They would surely make it to safety somewhere, where ever that was._

_The footsteps seemed to stall, before the sound of crunching debris echoed further and further away. They had passed them. She could almost feel the danger passing them. Sakura had almost let out of sigh of relief._

_And then Naruto got shot._

_x_

Sakura awoke to a silent scream, her heart pounding in her chest, her breathing erratic. Paranoia crept up to her as pondered her surroundings searching for a weapon, before calming herself down with a cup of cool water.

Recalling the events that happened just days ago, Sakura shivered. _Naruto's blood._ Even now, she could feel his blood drying beneath her fingers, Naruto's life force seeping out of him. It was just so wrong. Naruto was the essence of life, bright and insanely cheerful. Naruto was the symbol of hope, of the future. Naruto was not pale and lifeless. _Naruto could not die now._

Dawn had barely begun when Sakura made her way to the open deck. Leaning by the rails, she breathed in the cool salty air. Looking down at the calm waters, a melancholy look appeared in viridian eyes as she pondered about how long ago it was since she had been aboard a boat. Once upon a time, she had loved the seas. She loved the rocking of waves, loved the smell of the salty air, and loved the feeling of being infinite as they sailed above it.

She felt free now; safe even.

Seeking refuge on the Kusanagi had never been in her plan – it was a last ditch attempt to stay alive, but even then, seeing Sasuke sent her emotions spinning like a whirlwind. It reinforced her thought that she could never fall out of love with him.

Sasuke was heartbreakingly painful to love.

_x_

_They had been having dinner, Naruto and herself, in a small roadside tent, when they hadn't been so closely pursued. This had happened weeks before they were cornered. Sakura was in the middle of chastising Naruto who was inhaling ramen like a black hole - when she heard the drunken laughter._

"—_Kusanagi! The letter said—"_

"_T'is a huge order – food supplies enough for three months! Haf'ta prepare it in three weeks." _

"_Such'a pain to ship it to that old ruined village though."_

_Viridian eyes narrowed. That would only mean that the Kusanagi would be docking in three weeks. An old ruined village nearby could only mean one village – their ruined village – especially since the Captain of the Kusanagi was Sasuke. She hadn't heard news about him in a long time. They were regarded as phantom pirates, rarely seen but with large destructive prowess._

_Sakura's fists clenched as she recalled their last encounter. She had spent years searching for him. Looking on her right, she slapped the blond's head with her chopsticks. She had important things to do right now. She refused to think about him now.  
><em>

_Sasuke was her past. He would have to stay there._

_x_


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